Metro Line 7 and 9 Became Full Time

After I am back to Shanghai, the Metro Line #7 became operating in full time – from 5:30 to 22:31. Before, it only operate between 9:00 – 16:00. That means, Metro Line #7 started to operate in real sense. At the same time, Metro Line #9 started similar full time operation. Both intervals are 6 minutes.

Look at this map I shot in a metro station – that is the current metro map.

Photograph by Jian Shuo Wang

On this map, there are many small modifications – the staff used sticker to mark out some stations that are not open yet. Since the stations and even metro lines are going to open in the next few weeks, they didn’t bother to create a new chart. Those segments include the east extension of Metro Line #2 to Pudong Airport, and west extension to the new Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2.

When the metro system started to form a network, the feeling of a metro ride is very different from the time when there are just one line or two. You will encounter an interchange station for every two or three stations. People get off the train and get on the train much more frequently than before – you are not sure whether they get off the train because it is their destination or just transit to another metro line. The capacity of the metro system is also expanded – the bottlenecks are no longer bottlenecks, because of so many “load balance lines” there.

I am very excited to see the change, and enjoy navigating the city by going under it.

Metro Line 9 Opens

The Metro Line #9 east section opens yesterday. The newly opened section starts from Xujiahui Station and ends at Century Ave Station. It connects with the rest of the already opened Metro Line #9 and arrives at Songjia New Town, at the west most part of Shanghai.

I visited the Metro Line #9 newly extended stations this afternoon. Here is my report.

Insensitivity of New Lines

When Metro Line #1 opens, there are just about 10 stations. I know every single station so well. I even wrote guideline about each stations:

Now, it is impossible for me to be even aware of the names of the stations. I just briefly take some photos and share with you about 20 minutes tour.

Century Ave Station

I have more detailed description of Metro Line #2, Line #4, Line #6, and Line #9 Century Avenue Station. But at that time, only Metro Line #2, #6 and #4 where open. Now, Line #9 joined the other three lines, to make the station the biggest transit station in Shanghai (4 lines).

Below: the relative position of the four lines:

Transition

Transition in Metro Stations in Shanghai started to get confusing. Look at this direction board.

At Jiashan Road Station, there are area like this:

Obviously, it is reserved for stairs to go down to transit to another line in the future.

The best transition I saw, even better than , is the Zhaojiabang Road station. Metro Line #9 and Line #7 crosses with each other, with Metro Line #7 at lower level. Transit from Line #7 to Line #9 is just an (long) elevator away:

Xujiahui Station

Xujiahui Metro Station will be an amazing station with 3 lines. Now, the transition between Line #1 and Line #9 is still very bad. You have to EXIT the Line #9 station via Exit #15, and go on the ground for 200 meters, and enter the Line #1 station via Exit 13. You have to pay again (no free transition).

In the future (before Expo 2010), the two stations will be connected via a big transition hall under the Grand Gateway. I am very looking forward to it.

To my Office?

Want to visit me in my office? Remember to take Metro Line #9, and exit at Exit #18. That is the closes Metro exit to me.

P.S. I am going to pay a visit to newly opened Metro Line #11 this holiday. It also opens yesterday. Now, Shanghai has the following metro lines opened:

Metro Line #1

Metro Line #2

Metro Line #3

Metro Line #4

Metro Line #5

Metro Line #6

Metro Line #7

Metro Line #8

Metro Line #9

Metro Line #11